In both the disability and elderly sectors, we aim to be proactive with planning and budgeting without waiting in those moments that need immediate action.
During my first two years as Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Active Ageing, I have also aimed to foster creative solutions to more immediate problems in both sectors. Working closely with both the public and private sectors, with church and community leaders in voluntary organisations and with experts and all stakeholders, generates the building of networks and structures to promote healthier and sustainable services. I have insisted all along that whatever we provide must be of the highest quality the country can support.
A strong economy for social justice
What the country can afford is directly related to the country’s economy. In order to pursue greater equality and tackle social justice issues, we need a strong economy. Labour’s basic thought and motivator has and will always be social justice. The very foundations of social services and national solidarity were pioneered by Labour governments over the years. Others could only follow our original initiative. It is now that the country is fast achieving its aspiration of a fair society built on solid foundations
It was clear from the outset that building a fair society and sustaining an effective social welfare system can rest only on the foundation of a healthy economy. The Prime Minister’s speech on Workers’ Day spelled out the government’s determination to proceed with its agenda of changing the country further through the consolidation of various sectors, not least the social well-being of our people. Notwithstanding the intentionally orchestrated hype on other issues, no amount of partisan slogans can deny the strong economy the country has built within the first three years of Dr Muscat’s term in office. He knew well that only a strong economy can create higher asset values, and time is proving him right. In fact, last Sunday, he specifically indicated further measures in respect of the elderly and people with disability.
Three years on, in real terms
Three years on, successful results unfailingly keep coming in, both those stated by international credit ratings or by European and national measures. The latest rewarding results come in the wake of a desperate partisan effort to create a perception of uncertainty or political unrest, meant only to destabilise the country’s economic strengths and its reputation. Needless to say, statistics are supported by what the nation is producing and gaining in real terms and what families are actually living within the different perspectives of everyday life.
From my own line of duty within the elderly and disability sectors, I could confirm that the state of the economy has a direct influence on the government’s willingness to support its social obligations. A healthier economy has facilitated the enhancement and upgrade of services and more all-inclusive initiatives. It also strengthens my urge to fulfil my duties with a clear commitment that the social support and protection cluster is to be based on treating people with dignity and respect. Our final goal is to implement a social policy by which our programmes cannot be effective if they do not reach the persons who really deserve support.
Rights, inclusion and equality
Having all stakeholders on board is a guarantee that whatever my Parliamentary Secretariat plans is tailor-made for the communities the whole nation is expected to support. By working together, we have managed to be an innovative force in the struggle to curb both social and economic marginalisation, and in many cases reverse the cycle of social exclusion. No one can deny that our untiring efforts have become more decisive in determining the healthy lifestyles and well-being of people and families within these two sectors. We incessantly strive to establish full rights for them with a final aim of establishing the very essence of equality and equity for all. Credits gained so far urge us to work harder.
On the same morning Parliament was debating the no-confidence motion on Wednesday, my Parliamentary Secretariat was discussing with all stakeholders the much-awaited National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disability. Here again, we moved from the established fact that Malta’s fast growing economy needs to be better expressed and reflected in what people with disabilities deserve. I refuse to speak of needs, since I strongly believe that people have rights – whatever their abilities or disabilities. This is precisely what drove us so far to establish national standards and emanate specific laws to ensure for these persons, protection, dignity and equal opportunities.
Launching the National Strategy
Wednesday marked yet another leap forward in this regard. While launching the basic document for public consultation, I reminded all that it was already a first for our country when a year ago we launched a National Policy for the sector. As we pledged then, we now have a Strategy – the plan of action to execute our policies. The National Strategy will cover all types of impairments and age groups. It is also aimed at addressing the expectations of people with a disability, their respective families, carers, professionals and all stakeholders.
In my introductory speech, I also indicated the four major elements that will guarantee the Strategy’s successful implementation. We need a collective and coherent effort, we need to respect and accept diversity and, while planning and developing individualised support, we must remain focused on our final goal: active citizenship, based on equal opportunities. In the process, we need to leave the door ajar for eventual changes in the nature of disabilities without, however, losing sight of the objectives and the respective timeframes. This should add more credibility to our policies across general or specific disability areas.
We need to ensure an improved performance of service delivery and quality while increasing the understanding that every step along our line of action finds a close affiance with persons with a disability. The Strategy itself is not an imposed or dictated document, but a comprehensive compendium of various experiences and proposals from all concerned, and it will therefore be every stakeholder’s work-book, once the consultation period is over. It will only make sense when we are committed to improving opportunities for people with a disability, which will in turn enable them to participate and contribute across all areas of the community.
A commitment that defines the style
The launching of this Strategy followed last week’s final stages in Parliament of the Equal Opportunities Act and the final legislative and administrative stages for the appointment of a Commissioner who will head a revamped National Commission for Persons with Disability – now to be renamed as Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability. The Commission and its Commissioner will in fact, from now on, be effectively focused on these persons’ rights, over and above their needs.
Being politically responsible for this and the elderly sector, I ensure that all the work on the ground is followed by or derived from specific legislation which I feel honoured to move through the various stages in Parliament. It is basically a two-way path through which I execute my two-fold role as parliamentary secretary and public administrator. It is my duty to secure the legislative work that governs the sequence of actions to be taken, which reciprocally endorse and action the proposals that lead to initiatives under the respective policies and laws. The underlying link takes the form of consulting and listening to whoever is concerned. My commitment defines the style through which we move ahead, translating policies into strategies, plans into actions.
We have reached many targets in our first three years, and we are determined to achieve further in the coming years. Our strength derives from our principles of social justice and from the people’s support for a committed government.